In its 116th year, Picnic Day is one of UC Davis’ most revered — and most fun! — traditions. From the amazing exhibits and yummy food, to the artistic and scientific demonstrations and everything in-between, here at the College of Letters and Science, we love this annual celebration.
Picnic Day not only serves as an opportunity for potential students to get to know our university, it allows the entire Davis community to come together and enjoy all we have to offer.
This year's Picnic Day is Saturday, April 12.
Give Day at UC Davis begins Friday, April 11 at noon, and ends at 4:59 p.m. on Picnic Day.
Join L&S faculty, students and staff at the events below and check out the full line-up of Picnic Day events here.
Design on the runway
The 2025 UC Davis Fashion and Design Society (FADS) Picnic Day Fashion Show will spotlight fashion created and executed by Department of Design undergraduate students in the "Signature Collections" course.
This year's theme is "Through the Looking Glass," a nod to the whimsical world of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Beyond the runway, there will also be an outdoor exhibition, where you'll wander through a curated collection of physical projects designed by talented students.
“Prepare to be enchanted as we blur the line between fantasy and reality on the runway," said Sara Lindstrom, president and executive director of the Fashion and Design Society at UC Davis. "'Through the Looking Glass' invites you to step into a world of whimsical creativity."
The event will be presented live and outdoors on the Cruess Hall Courtyard. There will be two viewings of the show.
Showtimes:
- 11 a.m. - Noon
- Noon - 1 p.m.
Reserve a ticket for a guaranteed seat or find free standing room only behind seated guests.
Earth & Planetary Sciences on display
Experience geology through hands-on activities and rock demonstrations, travel back in time with engaging paleo exhibits, and dive into the ocean’s mysteries with crochet marine life and geoscience talks. Join Earth & Planetary Sciences from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Earth and Physical Sciences Building to discover how our planet and its ecosystems shape the world around us.
Schedule:
- 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Earth Science Exhibits and Activities
- 10 a.m. - noon, Dino Hats
- 1 - 2 p.m. “Sediments and Seagrass: A Carbon Storage Duo” public talk
- 2 - 3 p.m. “The Salad Days of Reptiles: How Plant-Eating Shapes Skeletons” public talk
- 3 - 4 p.m. Dino Demo
The world of weather
Clouds, tornadoes, and wind, oh my! Head inside to Hoagland 113 to enjoy a premier demonstration of atmospheric phenomena from undergraduate and graduate students in atmospheric sciences.
Showtimes:
- Noon - 12:30 p.m.
- 2 - 2:30 p.m.
- 3:30 - 4 p.m.
The magic of chemistry
The Chemistry Magic Show at Peter A. Rock Hall is one of the most popular Picnic Day events, featuring amazing demonstrations that show how chemical reactions are involved in everyday life — with some humor, magic and storytelling mixed in.
Showtimes:
- 10 a.m.
- 11:30 a.m.
- 1 p.m.
- 2:30 p.m.
Find more information and reserve tickets.
Smart thinking and kid-friendly
Bringing the family? Check out some of these L&S exhibits designed for all community members, part of the Children's Discovery Fair from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Hoagland Lawn.
- Join the Department of Linguistics to learn about the science of speech. Try out examples from real experiments and play with data.
- The Department of Psychology presents fun hands-on activities designed to help you learn more about kids' brains — and cool off in the spring heat. Find out what they study at the Memory and Development Lab and learn how to get involved.
Learn about measuring brain activity and find demonstrations of human brain wave (EEG) recordings on the quad or outside Young Hall from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Also on the lawn outside Young Hall, from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., excavate like an archaeologist (in a sandbox), or explore printmaking like humans of the past and present. The Department of Anthropology is all about the study of us humans.
Playing with math
Head to the courtyard in front of the Mathematical Sciences Building to explore the fascinating worlds of mathematics and statistics. Build your own kaleidoscope, discover the magic of creating cubic bubbles, dive into kinetic origami and marvel over homopolar sculptures. Test your wits by solving a math riddle and claim a prize from the treasure chest.
Play math games from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and work on puzzles and crafts 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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